Other conditions decisions — 2016

The Board found that the Veteran's prostate disorder/BPH was not related to his service and denied the claim.

The Board found that the evidence submitted since the November 2004 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder due to beryllium exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current respiratory disorder, specifically restrictive lung disease, is due to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hidradenitis suppurativa has been rated at 50 percent until August 2002 and at 60 percent thereafter. The Board finds service connection for a right ankle disability is warranted.

The Veteran's sole service-connected disability, Scheuermann's disease with secondary herniated nucleus pulposus, rated at 40 percent, does not meet the minimum schedular percentage standards for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's gout is related to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the ankles and feet.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal of the denial of TDIU.

The Veteran's arthritis of the back, hips, and feet was not incurred in service or due to a service-connected disability. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left flank bulge due to fascia disruption is rated at 30 percent effective October 21, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed eye disability, BPH, and stomach disorder are not service-connected as they are not related to his active duty or any incident thereof.

The Board previously determined that an overpayment of VA educational assistance benefits in the amount of $13,814.80 was properly created and remanded for further proceedings due to insufficient evidence specific to the Veteran's involvement in a fraud scheme.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for exotropia of the right eye.

The Veteran's gout is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to an audio malfunction during a previous hearing. The case will be returned for scheduling a new Travel Board Hearing before the local RO.

The Veteran's DM is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure during his active duty in Thailand. The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange and grants service connection for DM.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than April 13, 2010, for the grant of service connection for peripheral vascular disease, left lower extremity, as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional VA treatment records to be obtained and associated with the claims file, as well as a new VA medical examination to determine the extent of his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right thumb disability, characterized by pain, weakness, stiffness and swelling, has been productive of functional loss that more nearly approximates limitation of motion with a gap of less than one inch between the thumb pad and fingers. The Board finds that an initial rating of 20 percent is warranted for this period.

The Veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer with anemia, status post partial gastrectomy, was found to be a contributory cause of his death from multisystem failure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not related to his active military service and thus denied the claim for service connection.